Baby bottle holding device



Feb. 4, 1964 c. D. CRISP 3,120,368

BABY BOTTLE HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVEN'TOR.

Q Charles D. Crisp BY @C.

A TTOIZNE Y Feb. 4, 1964 c. D. CRISP 3,120,363

BABY BOTTLE HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. Charles D. Crisp BY g g ATTORN E Y Feb. 4, 1964 c. D. CRISP3,120,368

- BABY BOTTLE HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR. Charles D. Crisp ATTORNEY 3,l2@,38 i atented Feb. 4, 1%643,129,368 BABY ESTTLE HQLEHNG DEVICE Eliaries l). Crisp, 851% SpringCircie, Decatur, Ga. Filed 26, 1962, Ser. No. 169,017 l t Claims. (Cl.248-163) This invention relates to a baby bottle holding device and ismore particularly concerned with a bottle holding device for attachmentto a baby crib so as to dispose the bottle in an appropriate positionfor access thereto by a baby within the crib.

In the past many bottle holders have been devised for holding a babybottle in a predetermined position, relatively inverted so that a childlying on his back may have access to the nipple of the bottle. In mostof these devices, the bottle is supported by an arm in a relativelyrigid position such that the child cannot move the bottle, in the eventthe child becomes strangled or no longer desires to have the contents ofthe bottle. Further, the prior art devices usually include supportingstructures having sharp metal edges or springs which may be contacted bythe child with sufficient force that they might injure the child. Manyof the prior art devices require a finite adjustment of the variouselbows, each time the device is employed. Many of the prior art deviceswill slip from the predetermined positions, especially with vibrationsuch as when the child jumps up and down in the crib.

The present baby bottle holder obviates the difiiculties described aboveand yet is a relatively simple and inexpensive device. Briefiy, my babybottle holder includes, in one embodiment, a pair of opposed supportingbrackets adapted to be fastened on the opposite sides of the crib so asto support therebetween an extensible support memher. The support membermay be rotated, raised or lowered as desired to a plurality ofpositions, and the width of the support member may be varied to conformto the width of a variety of cribs. The support member, in turn, carriesa bottle holder provided with a resilient retaining strap by means ofwhich the bottle is mounted for access thereto by the child. Thus, thebottle may be readily and easily installed in or removed from the bottleholder.

in certain embodiments, the bottle holder is urged by gravity toward thebed of the crib and hence may be pushed away by the child when the childno longer desires the contents of the bottle.

In one embodiment, the bottle holder is held by a support member carriedby a single bracket.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide abottle holding device which is inexpensive to manufacture, durable instructure and efficient in operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle holdingdevice particularly suited for holding a baby bottle in a relativelyinverted position over the head of a crib for access thereto by aninfant, the bottle being firmly held in its predetermined position andyet may be readily and easily temporarily urged by the infant away fromits predetermined position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle holdingdevice in which a bottle held thereby may be readily and easily andaccurately positioned in a variety of preselected positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bot-tie holdingdevice which may be quickly and easily adjusted to tit and mount on anyone of various cribs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle holdingdevice which, when holding a baby bottle, will not endanger an infantfor which the bottle is held.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present bottle holdingdevice disposed on the sides of a crib, the crib being shown infragmentary form and the bottle supported by the holding device beingshown in broken lines therein.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 22 in FIG.1, the bottle being deleted from the drawing.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 inFIG. 2.

PEG. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 55 in FIG.1.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the bottle retainingstrap disengaged from the bottle holder with the bottle removed from theholder.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a detail, showing thebottle holder in a relatively inverted position, the bottle holder beingcarried by the support members and having its bottle retaining strapunsnapped.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view on a reduced scale of a secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan View of the device shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 11 is a plan View of the device shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the structure shownin FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a detail of the device shownin FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary view of another detail of the deviceshown in FIG. 13.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment chosen for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention, it being understood that in itsbroader aspects the present invention is not limited to the exactdetails herein depicted, in FIG. 1, ntuneral 21d denotes a crib, cradleor baby bed having sides 21 over the upper edges of which the opposedcomplementary supporting brackets 22 of the first embodiment areinstalled.

Since each supporting bracket 22 is identical to the other, it willsuflice to describe in detail the construction of but one, as follows:The bracket 2 1 is a U-shaped memher having an outer downwardlyextending flange 23, shown in FIG. 4, which is preferably trapezoidal inshape. The shape of the inner flange 241 is the same as the shape offlange 23, the flange 24 being disposed about parallel to flange 23 andin the same horizontal position. The major base, upper edges of flanges23 and 24 are joined by a web 25, the space between flanges 23 and 24being suificient to receive therebetween the upper edge portion of aside 21 when the support bracket 22 is installed over the side 23. Thebracket 22 is properly installed, the Web 25 comes to rest on the uppersurface of side 21 and the flanges 23 and 24 depend downwardly from theweb 25' on opposite sides of sides 21.

The inner surface of flange 24 forms a slide supporting member which isprovided with an inwardly opening, vertically disposed channel 26, thecorners of which are provided with opposed retaining grooves 27 seen inFIG. 3. In the central portion of channel 26, the flange 24 is providedwith a plurality of evenly spaced horizontally disposed serrations 2%forming a straight vertically disposed ratchet which cooperates withcomplementary serrations 29 on a pawl or detent 30.

The pawl is pivotally carried by a slide member or slide plate 31, theserrations 29 being yieldably urged into engagement with serrations 28by action of a spring (not shown). The slide plate 31 is carried in thechannel 26 and has outwardly extending side flanges 32 which ride withinthe retaining grooves 27. Thus, when the serrations 29 are retracted(away from serrations 28), the slide plate 31 may be freely movedupwardly and downwardly.

Within the slide plate 31 is a second, vertically slidable slide plate33 which is smaller than slide plate 31 and rides within a verticalchannel 34 within the lower and intermediate portions of slide plate 31.The slide plate 33 has flanges 35 which retain the slide plate 34 inplace for vertical sliding action within channel 34 and a pawl or detent36 having serrations 37 for cooperating with vertically spacedserrations 38 in slide plate 31. The ratchet 36 is pivotally carried byslide plate 33 and is urged by spring 39, acting between in a directionsuch that the serrations 37 engage the serrations 38. Serrations 37cooperate with serrations 33 in such a manner that the slide plate 33may be urged upwardly and will remain in the uppermost positionattained. On the other hand, pressure on the pawl 36 for movement of theserrations 37 out of engagement with the serration 38 is required if theslide plate 33 is to be moved downwardly.

At the lower end portion of the slide plate 33 is a support membercarrying disc 40 pivotally mounted in sideby-side relationship to theslide plate 33 for rotation with respect thereto. The disc 40 hasserrations 41 along its periphery, the serrations 41 cooperating with aspring loaded pawl or detent 42 pivotally carried by a ring 43protruding from slide plate 33 and encompassing disc 41?. When pawl 42is moved away from the disc 49, the disc 40 may be freely rotated. Whenthe pawl 42 is released, it engages the serrations 41 and preventsrotation of the disc 40. If desired, the same type of interengagedserrations may be provided on disc 40 as for the slide plates 31 and 33,in which case the disc 40 may be free to rotate in one direction only.

As seen in FIG. 1, the brackets 22 have discs, such as disc 40, whichcarry therebetween a pair of extensible support members 51), the supportmembers each including an inner rod 51 telescoping within an outer rod52. The rods 51 and 52 are respectively secured by their outer ends tothe opposed discs 40 at a position radially spaced from the center, suchthat one support member 50 is diametrically opposed to the other, thetwo support members 50 extending parallel to each other across the bedor the crib 20.

Slidably carried on the support members 50 is a bottle carrying member,denoted generally by numeral 60. The bottle carrying member or holderincludes a concaved or semi-circular bottle cradle or body 61, the sidesof which are provided with tangentially arranged parallel side plates 62which project below the body. The side plates 62 are generallyrectangular with the outer ends rounded to eliminate the pointed edges.The side plates 62 are provided with transversely aligned, elongatedslots 63 which are disposed axially and are substantially longer thanthe distance between support members 50, as seen in FIG. 7. The slots 63are each defined by an upper edge 64 arranged about parallel to the axisof the body 61 and a lower edge 65 which diverges slightly from edge 6d,the ends of the two edges being joined by a semi-circular rear edge 66of substantially the same diameter as rod 52 and a semi-circular forwardedge 67, the front edge 67 being of slightly larger diameter than therear edge.

It will be understood that the bottle carrying member is received on thesupport members 50 by the support members passing through the alignedslots 63, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 7. The loose encompassing of thesupport members 59 by the plates 62 permits the ready transverse slidingof the bottle carrying member along the support members from one side ofthe crib 20 to the other. The bottle carrying member 60 is also free tomove longitudinally, with respect to the crib 20, through a limiteddistance defined by edges 66 and 67.

As seen best in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, a pair of spaced elastie bands 63extend radially around the body 61, passing through holes adjacent theside edges of body 61. Thus, normally the upper portion of the elasticbands 68 extends essentially radially across the body 61 as seen in FIG.6. However, when a bottle 70 is received thereon, the bands 68 aredeformed downwardly to conform to the shape of the bottle '70, as seenin FIG. 5, thereby urging the bottle outwardly of body 61.

The outward urging of the bottle 70 is resisted by a strap '71 passingover the outer portion of bottle 70 from one side 62, to which the strapis permanently attached, to the other side 62. The free end of strap 71contains a button 72 adapted to be engaged in a keyhole slot '73projecting upwardly from edge 64 at the central portion of the otherside plate 62. The outward urging of bottle 70 tends to retain thebutton 72 locked in place in the small portion of keyhole slot '73, asshown in FIG. 5, unless the button 72 is urged toward the slot 63 andthen moved outwardly thereof. Thus, when strapped in body 61, the bottle70 is resiliently held axially thereof with the nipple end of bottle 7!)protruding beyond the end of body 61.

Second Embodiment Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, the second embodimentincludes a pair of inverted U-shaped brackets 122, the inner flanges 124of which are provided with rotatable discs 14%. The construction andarrangement of brackets 122 and 22 may be identical if desired, wherebyextendable slide plates, such as slide plates 31 and 33, are pgovidedbetween the rotatable discs and brackets 1 2.

In the second embodiment, U-shaped bales 141 are provided along theopposed faces of disc 140, the bales 141 being secured to the disc 140by the end portions of the arms of each bale 140. The webs of bales 140carry therebetween a continuous resilient support member 150, thecentral portion of which forms a bottle carrying member 16% for carryingbottle 170.

In more detail, the support member is a continuous extensible resilientbelt which has a pair of slidable clamps 162 which encompass the opposedflights of member 150. In operation, the brackets 122 are placed overthe sides of a crib so as to hold the belt or member 150 in a stretchedcondition. A bottle is placed between the central portion of the opposedflights of belt 150 and the clamps 162 are moved adjacent the oppositesides of the bottle 170, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Thus, the bottle issupported in place and may be rotated about a transverse axis uponrotation of disc 140. The bottle 120 may be shifted transversely,relocating the clamps 1 2.

Third Embodiment The third embodiment, shown in FIGS. 10 and 11,includes a pair of opposed brackets 222, similar to brackets 122, a pairof opposed discs 240 having bales 241 similar to discs 140 and bales14-1. The discs 249 are rotatably carried on brackets 222 while bales241 carry therebetween a flat, resilient belt-like support member 250,the ends of which pass through the bales 240 and are adjustably fixedagainst intermediate portions of the sup port member 250 by clamps 262.

Secured to the central portion of support 250 by stitching or the likeis a strap 271, the free end of which is provided with a button or clasp272. The button 272 15 adapted to pass through a button hole in thesupport member 250 so as to encompass one-half of a bottle 270, theother half of which is resiliently held by the central portion 260 ofthe support member 250.

The bottle 270 may be moved transversely by adjusting clamps 262 and maybe rotated by rotating discs 240.

Fourth Embodiment The fourth embodiment, shown in FIGS. 12 through 15,includes a U-shaped bracket 322 having an upper flange 323 and a lowerflange 324 connected together by a web 325, in turn, is provided with apair of spaced vertically aligned clamps 326 which are adapted to extendaround a spoke or post 321 of one side of a crib 320, the clamps 326being pivotally connected by one side to web 325 so that Wing nuts 327which fit onto the ends of screws 328 which project from the other sideof web 325 through the clamps 326 secure the clamps 326 in place.

Between the flanges 323 and 324 is a slide supporting member 331 whichin this particular embodiment is a circular standard. A slide or collar332 is mounted on standard 331 and carries a detent 336 adapted to fitinto any one of a plurality of vertically spaced recesses 333 instandard 331, the detent being spring loaded so as to be disengageablefrom any recess 338 when it is desired to shift the location of collar332. The upper peripheral edge of collar 332 is serrated at numeral 341and receives the serrations of a second sleeve or collar 34%) onstandard 331. Collar 34% has a bushing 342 surrounding standard 331 andis freely rotatable and slidable on standard 331.

Extending from the collar 340 is a support member 350. Support member339 is a cantilever arm which is secured by one end to collar 340 andhas top and bottom edges 351 and 352 which taper outwardly to a nar rowouter end. On the outer end is an outwardly and downwardly extendingyoke 353 having, between its arms, a pair of spaced parallel rods 354adapted to receive a bottle holder (not shown) in the manner in whichthe bottle carrying member of holder 60 is carried by rods 50 in FIG. 7.

It will be understood that by raising or lowering of the collar 332, thebottle (not shown) carried by the bottle holder (not shown) on yoke 353may be raised or lowered. Also, by pivoting arm 359, the relativelocation of the bottle (not shovm) may be varied.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that each of theembodiments here disclosed will dispose a baby bottle in a relativelyinverted position over a child in a crib, the bottle being readily andeasily removed or installed in the holding device.

With reference to the first embodiment, the bottle 7! may be raised orlowered by manipulation of slide plates 31 and 33 and may be rotatedabout a transverse axis to any predetermined angle by manipulation ofdisc 40'. The bottle 70 may also be moved transversely by sliding theholder 60 along the support member 50. The bottle 70 may be pushed awayby the child, whereby the holder 60 shifts within the limits of slots 63and returns by gravity to its original position.

The same type of rotation of the bottle 17% and 270 may be achieved withthe second and third embodiments by rotation of discs 14% or 240 whilethe transverse shifting of the bottle 170 or 270 is accomplished bymanipulation of the belts or support members or 250.

In each embodiment, the bottle 7%, 170 or 27% is resiliently carried andhence will move slightly in its held position, as the child pushes onthe bottle.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many variations maybe made in the embodiments here chosen for the purpose of illustratingthe present invention without departing from the scope thereof asdefined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bottle holder of the type wherein bracket means are adapted tobe supported by the side of a crib, the combination therewith of arotatable member carried by said bracket means, a support member carriedby said rotatable member for rotation therewith, and a resilient bottleholder carried by said support member, said bottle holder including apair of opposed flat, resilient straps for extending around oppositesides of a bottle to support the same in said bottle holder.

2. In a bottle holder of the type wherein bracket means are adapted tobe supported by the side of a crib, the combination therewith of arotatable member carried by said bracket means, a support member carriedby said rotable member for rotation therewith, and a resilient bottleholder carried by said support member, said bottle holder including apair of opposed flat, resilient straps for extending around oppositesides of a bottle to support the same in said bottle holder, saidsupport member including a pair of spaced rods, said bottle holder beingslidably received on said rods.

3. In a bottle holder of the type wherein bracket means are adapted tobe supported by the side of a crib, the combination therewith of arotatable member carried by said bracket means, a support member carriedby said rotatable member for rotation therewith, and a resilient bottleholder carried by said support member, said bottle holder including apair of opposed flat, resilient straps for extending around oppositesides of a bottle to support the same in said bottle holder, and ratchetmeans for yieldably preventing rotation of said rotatable member.

4. Ina bottle holder of the type wherein bracket means are adapted to besupported by the side of a crib, the combination therewith of arotatable member carried by said bracket means, a support member carriedby said rotatable member for rotation therewith, and a resilient bottleholder carried by said support member, said bottle holder including apair of opposed flat, resilient straps for extending around oppositesides of a bottle to support the same in said bottle holder, and ratchetmeans for yieldably preventing rotation of said rotatable memher, saidrotatable member permitting rotation of said support means in thehorizontal plane of said rotatable means.

5. In a bottle holder of the type wherein a pair of opposed brackets areadapted to be supported by the sides of a crib, the combinationtherewith of a pair of rotatable members carried by said brackets,support members carried between said rotatable members for rotationtherewith, and a resilient bottle holder carried by said supportmembers.

6. In a bottle holder of the type wherein a pair of opposed brackets areadapted to be supported by the sides of a crib, the combinationtherewith of extensible means carried by said brackets, a pair ofrotatable members carried by said extensible means, support memberscarried between said rotatable members for rotation therewith, and aresilient bottle holder carried by said support members.

7. In a bottle holder of the type wherein a pair of opposed brackets areadapted to be supported by the sides of a crib, the combinationtherewith of extensible means carried by said brackets, a pair ofrotatable members cannied by said extensible means, a support membercarried between said rotatable members for rotation therewith, and aresilient bottle holder carried by said support member, said bottleholder including a pair of opposed flat, resilient straps for extend ngaround opposite sides of a bottle to support the same in said bottleholder.

8. In a bottle holder of the type wherein a pair of opposed brackets areadapted to be supported by the sides of a crib, the combinationtherewith of extensible means carried by said brackets, a pair ofrotatable members carried by said extensible means, a support membercarried between said rotatable members for rotation therewith, and aresilient bottle holder carried by said support members, said bottleholder including a pair of opposed flat, resilient straps for extendingaround opposite sides of a bottle to support the same in said bottleholder, and a bottle cradle supporting said straps, said bottle cradlebeing slidably carried on said support member for movement between saidrotatable members.

9. In a bottle holder of the type wherein a pair of opposed brackets areadapted to be supported by the sides of a crib, the combinationtherewith of extensible means carried by said brackets, 21 pair ofrotatable members carried by said extensible means, support memberscarried between said rotatable members for rotation therewith, and aresilient bottle holder carried by said support member, said bottleholder including a pair of opposed fiat, resilient straps for extendingaround opposite sides of a bottle to support the same in said bottleholder, and a bottle cradle supporting said straps, said bottle cradlebeing provided with a slot through which said support member projects,said slot being wider and substantially longer than the thickness andwidth of said support member such that said bottle holder may slide onsaid support member between said rotatable members and may be movedradially thereof.

10. In a bottle holder of the type wherein a pair of opposed bracketsare adapted to be supported by the sides of a crib, the combinationtherewith of extensible means carried by said brackets, a pair ofrotatable members carried by said extensible means, support membercarried between said rotatable members for rotation therewith, and aresilient bottle holder carried by said support member, said bottleholder including a pair of opposed fiat, resilient straps for extendingaround opposite sides of a bottle to support the same in said bottleholder, a bottle cradle supporting said straps, said bottle cradle beingprovided with a slot through which said support member projects, saidslot being wider and substantially longer than the thickness and widthof said support member such that said bottle holder may slide on saidsupport member between said rotatable members and may be moved radiallythereof, said support member including a pair of telescoping rodsarranged parallel to each other, said extensible means including slideplates carried by said brackets and detent members for positioning saidslide plates in preselected positions.

11. In a bottle holder of the type wherein bracket means are adapted tobe mounted on a crib, the combination therewith of a rotatable membercarried by said bracket means, detent means for preventing rotation ofsaid rotatable member, a support member carried by said rotatablemember, a bottle holder carried by said support member for rotationmovement in a horizontal plane upon rotation of said rotatable member,said bottle holder including yieldable means for supporting a bottle,said yieldable means permitting said bottle to be moved as the same isheld thereby, said yieldable means resisting said movement such thatwhen said bottle is released it will return to substantially itsoriginal position.

12. In a bottle holder of the type wherein bracket means are adapted tobe mounted on a crib, the combination therewith of a rotatable membercarried by said bracket means, detent means for preventing rotation ofsaid rotatable member, a support member carried by said rotatablemember, a bottle holder carried by said support member for rotationmovement in a horizontal plane upon rotation of said rotatable member,said bottle holder including yieldable means for supporting a bottle,said yicldable means permitting said bottle to be moved as the same isheld thereby, said yieldable means resisting said movement such thatwhen said bottle is released it will return to substantially itsoriginal position, and slide means interposed between said supportmember and said bracket means and a second detent means for positioningsm'd slide means in any one of a plurality of positions for varying thevertical position of said support means with respect to said bracketmeans.

13. The structure defined in claim 12 wherein said yieldable meansincludes a bottle cradle movable transversely of said support member andurged by gravity to ward the bed of said crib.

14. The structure defined in claim 13 wherein said yieldable means alsoincludes a flat resilient strap carried by said bottle cradle and meansfor releasably securing a portion of said strap to said cradle forholding a bottle therebetween.

References titted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,302,354 Friedmann Apr. 29, 1919 2,048,612 Maguire July 21, 19362,269,609 Taylor Jan. 13, 1942 2,738,152 Blackmore Mar. 13, 19562,830,781 Coulter Apr. 15, 1958 2,991,032 Theis July 4, 1961

2. IN A BOTTLE HOLDER OF THE TYPE WHEREIN BRACKET MEANS ARE ADAPTED TOBE SUPPORTED BY THE SIDE OF A CRIB, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF AROTATABLE MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID BRACKET MEANS, A SUPPORT MEMBER CARRIEDBY SAID ROTABLE MEMBER FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, AND A RESILIENT BOTTLEHOLDER CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID BOTTLE HOLDER INCLUDING APAIR OF OPPOSED FLAT, RESILIENT STRAPS FOR EXTENDING AROUND OPPOSITESIDES OF A BOTTLE TO SUPPORT THE SAME IN SAID BOTTLE HOLDER, SAIDSUPPORT MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED RODS, SAID BOTTLE HOLDER BEINGSLIDABLY RECEIVED ON SAID RODS.